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Immigrant Youth
Immigrant Youth
Medium Term Strategic Research Framework - Notes
http://www.youth.gc.ca/yoaux.jsp?ta=1&lang=en&auxpageid=858&flash=1
Many young people immigrate to Canada as dependants, accompanied by their families or they have come on their own to attend school or for work. Whether they came by themselves or with their families, these children and youth left behind friends and relatives, and a familiar social system. Compared to adults, immigrant children and youth face unique challenges - most notably, getting used to the school system in Canada and balancing the cultural values and behaviour expected of children and youth in their home country with those of their new country.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/research/papers/framework.html
In 1996, 50,000 children under 15 years were landed as permanent residents. Thirty-three thousand of these children had no knowledge of either English or French. 10,500 of those with no knowledge of English or French were destined for Toronto, 2,800 for Montreal and 8,000 to Vancouver. 1998Thwarting Great Expectations
http://www.opsba.org/pubs/fast/2005/2005-10-17.html
Already, in Toronto schools alone, one-third of the students were born outside Canada and more than 60 % of recent immigrants do not speak English or French at home. Immigration is hardly a new reality in Canada. What is new is that our schools are becoming a microcosm for the growing gap between Canada's reputation for demonstrated and respectful support for immigrant communities and the reality that faces far too many of the newly arrived… The biggest assault on our future is what's happening to immigrant students. Children of today's new arrivals from non-English or non-French language countries face a lack of critical second language support that is unpardonable… We already know students with ESL needs are two to three times more likely to drop out of high school than the general student population. In Ontario, Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) tests indicate that ESL students lag far behind.Immigrant Youth in Canada
http://www.ccsd.ca/subsites/cd/docs/iy/
Different ways of thinking, an ongoing need to question authority, openness to taboo subjects (like sex), and a need to establish independence all contribute to intergenerational conflicts….. Although eager to integrate into Canadian society, children of immigrant parents still face issues of low self-esteem, racism, isolation, no sense of belonging, and sometimes language problems. Lack of support at home makes these problems worse, sometimes causing aggressive or depressive behaviors and outlooks. Yet the parents often feel burdened and isolated too. Many of their "old world" cultures relegate individual needs and self-reliance to the bottom of the priority pile; family needs and demands come first, and parental authority is thought to be infallible. The parents bear the extra challenge of trying to establish themselves economically and socially in a new land, while still holding on to their traditional authority over the family...Immigrant Youth in Canada - Index
http://www.ccsd.ca/subsites/cd/docs/iy/index.htm
Arriving in Canada; Lifestyle Patterns of Immigrant Youth; In Their Own Words: General perceptions of Canada, Integration, Racism, At school, Services; Do Community Services Respond to the Needs of New Immigrants? Difficulties in accessing social services, Most agencies have made efforts to facilitate access, Specific initiatives to serve immigrants, Staff development, Listening to clients, Challenges in meeting the needs of recent immigrants, Strategies to address the unmet needs, Lack of resources.CIC Medium Term Strategic Research Framework 1998
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/research/papers/framework.html
In 1996, 50,000 children under 15 years were landed as permanent residents. Thirty-three thousand of these children had no knowledge of either English or French. 10,500 of those with no knowledge of English or French were destined for Toronto, 2,800 for Montreal and 8,000 to Vancouver.One Million Too Many - 2004 Report Card on Child Poverty in Canada
http://www.canadiancrc.com/PDFs/04NationalReportCard.pdf
Child poverty rates (2001): All Children 18.4%; With Disability 27.7%; Visible Minority 33.6%; Aboriginal Identity 40.0%; All Immigrants 40.4%; Immigrated in 1996-2001 49.0%… Many recent immigrant workers are clustered in low-wage work with few, if any benefits. Despite having the highest-ever educational credentials, today's immigrants have undergone a sharp decline in living standards compared with immigrants from previous decades… Reduced Access to Employment Insurance: In 2001, only 39% of people who were unemployed were receiving EI, down from 75% a decade ago… Coverage has declined from 69% of unemployed women who received EI benefits in 1990 to 33% in 2001…Top
Growing Up Canadian - A Study of New Immigrant Children - October 1998
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/cs/sp/sdc/pkrf/publications/research/1998-000142/page07.shtml
In comparison to their national counterparts, new immigrant children experience a mental health advantage. From a policy perspective, this may suggest that Canada's policies and practices have resulted in an effective selection of healthy, resilient, success-bound families and children… Regardless of how well people are selected, their ultimate success as well as the success of their children depends on their post-migration reception. Poverty is a risk factor for all children. The fact that almost one third of immigrant children live in poverty in Canada is not only reprehensible, but a disadvantage whose potential to damage to children's mental health and to compromise their potential contribution to their adopted country may yet come back to haunt us… Higher employment rates for newly arrived immigrants will not only help alleviate familial poverty, but will also improve the mental health of adults, and through this chain, the well-being of their children.Lifestyle differences between immigrant and Canadian-born youth
http://www.ccsd.ca/subsites/cd/docs/insite/insite.htm
Some immigrant families may place a higher priority on schooling than they do on having a job. In some cases, new Canadians (such as foreign students) may not even be eligible to work in Canada… Recent immigrants attach greater importance to religion…Recent immigrant youth less likely to smoke or drink… “Because many immigrant youth come from social and cultural environments very different from those in Canada, it is not surprising that their first few years here are spent adapting to their new surroundings. Generally, a person needs about nine years to feel comfortable in their new social environment”The busy lives of teens
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/070523/d070523b.htm
Boys with Canadian-born parents did significantly less homework than girls in similar families, and less than either girls or boys with immigrant parents. Teens with demanding paid jobs (20 hours or more per week) did significantly less homework than those not employed (2005 data).New faces from faraway places: Immigrant child health in Canada
http://www.pulsus.com/Paeds/10_05/croc_ed.htm
For the past several years, more than 50,000 children have immigrated to Canada annually. These children are particularly vulnerable in terms of their health. Although the Immigration Medical Examination provides the required medical screening, a number of additional recommendations for the medical evaluation of immigrant children can optimize their health care as they transition to life in Canada. Furthermore, a number of other issues must be specifically addressed in the care of immigrant children, such as consideration of their culture, nutritional issues and growth, psychosocial issues and immunizations. Certain groups of immigrant children, such as internationally adopted children and refugees, may be even more vulnerable and have special needs. However, despite the numerous challenges in addressing the health issues of immigrant children, there are many resources available to help paediatricians provide these children with optimal care. AbstractRemoving Barriers: Youth Participation, Leadership and Capacity Building in a Multicultural Community
http://integration-net.cic.gc.ca/inet/infocentre/2004/001.htm
Problems related to cultural and ethnic inclusion in Canada have often times been directly linked to poverty. In a report produced by the Canadian Council on Social Development, immigrant children and youth are depicted as more likely to live in lower income households than their mainstream peers. Poverty is a barrier that drastically limits a young person‘s opportunity for education, development, success and ultimately, happiness. The divide between immigrant and mainstream youth is too wide to ignore… It is time that governments at all levels move beyond Canada‘s traditional multicultural formula of celebrating differences, in favour of a strategy that advocates developing cohesive communities where all members take ownership and responsibility for thriving in a multicultural society.Immigrant youth better off if still attached to their ethnic culture, largest-ever international study finds
http://qnc.queensu.ca/story_loader.php?id=437b420b560da
Immigrant youth are better able to handle discrimination, have fewer emotional problems, and get along better in school and in the community when they remain strongly attached to their own ethnic culture rather than try to melt into a national culture… They do even better when they have a double attachment to both the national society and to their heritage culture… An unexpected finding is that immigrant youth who try to blend in actually have more problems.Identity, Youth and Immigration: Narratives of Acculturation and Adjustment
http://ceris.metropolis.net/events/4metpres/tonksparanjpe.html
Integration remains positively correlated with self-esteem for "minority" group members while assimilation correlated negatively with self-esteem for these groups… Marginalization contrarily has been associated with poor positive adaptation where individuals who are characterized by marginalization tend to be shut off or cut out of both traditions, having few or no connections for the development of positive social support and recognition… Marginalization is not easily defined, it is most centrally characterized by confusion, anxiety, striking out against the larger society, and by feelings of alienation, loss of identity, and acculturative stress.
The Challenge Confronting Immigrant Children and Children of Immigrants
http://www.sociology.osu.edu/classes/soc367/payne/Immigrant%20Children.pdf
Since the 1980s, immigrant children and children of immigrant parentage have become the fastest growing and the most extraordinarily diverse segment of America’s child population. Until the recent past, however, scholarly attention has focused on adult immigrants to the neglect of their offspring, creating a profound gap between the strategic importance of the new second generation and the knowledge about its socioeconomic circumstances… Differing from their immigrant parents, immigrant children and children of immigrants lack meaningful connections to their “old” world. They are thus unlikely to consider a foreign country as a place to return to or as a point of reference. They instead are prone to evaluate themselves or to be evaluated by others by the standards of their new country…Changes in Poverty Status and Developmental Behaviours: A Comparison of Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Children in Canada
http://www11.sdc.gc.ca/en/cs/sp/sdc/pkrf/publications/research/2000-001332/page10.shtml
Immigrant children are the fastest growing component of Canada's child population.. .Immigrant families were more likely to experience poverty but poor immigrant families were less likely to access, and derive benefits from the social welfare system than non-immigrant families... Persistently poor immigrant families were far less likely to depend on welfare than their non-immigrant counterparts. Immigrant families in persistent poverty tended to have lower average income than their non-immigrant counterparts, probably because they were not protected by the social welfare to the same extent as non-immigrant families were. Thus, it is possible that poor immigrant families fell deeper in poverty and their children suffered a larger degree of material deprivation. Consequently, poor immigrant children could benefit more directly from small increases in absolute income… The conditional effect of absolute income changes was also observed among immigrant families that recently fell into poverty. Larger decreases in absolute income were associated with higher levels of conduct disorder, indirect aggression, and to a lesser degree, hyperactivity. For newly poor non-immigrant families, this conditional effect presented only for conduct disorder.The Needs of Newcomer Youth and Emerging Best Practices to Meet Those Needs
http://atwork.settlement.org/downloads/Newcomer_Youth_Best_Practices.pdf
The results of this study strongly indicate that the needs of newcomers aged 16 to 20 are simply not being met. They seem in some kind of integration limbo: not old enough to be aided by programs for newcomer adults, not young enough for adjustment to be the gradual, family mediated process that it can be for much younger children, nor even young enough to have the time necessary to adjust before graduating from high school. Schools are essential not only for the education of this age group of newcomers, but as a critical location for services to help their integration. It is important, however, that this group be seen not only as individuals in need of attention but also as members of groups whose differences along ethnic, gender, racial, and class lines will require sensitive outreach and specific forms of support for them and their families.Transitions Into or Out of Poverty: Impact on immigrant and non-immigrant children's developmental behaviours
http://ceris.metropolis.net/Virtual%20Library/health/ocep_beiser1.htm
Immigrant children in persistently poor families seem to benefit from small absolute income increases. Absolute income increases tended to reduce conduct problems for immigrant children living in persistently poor families. The difference in this conditional effect between immigrant and non-immigrant children may be related to differential associations between changes in poverty status and other economic changes. Our descriptive analyses indicated that persistently poor immigrant families were far less likely to depend on welfare than their non-immigrant counterparts. In addition, among persistently poor families, immigrant parents were much more likely to be employed during the two-year study period than non-immigrant parents. Thus, gains in absolute income among persistently poor immigrant families were less likely to be associated with changes in income sources. Furthermore, immigrant families in persistent poverty tended to have lower average income than their non-immigrant counterparts, probably because they were not protected by the social welfare to the same extent as non-immigrant families were. Thus, it is possible that poor immigrant families fell deeper in poverty and their children suffered a larger degree of material deprivation. Consequently, poor immigrant children could benefit more directly from small increases in absolute income.Immigrant children and the Canadian dream
http://www.bangla.ca/article62.html
ESL teachers are trained to teach English. However, to be able to effectively teach these students requires a cultural understanding that is not easy to find… And so, these children, intimidated by the environment in schools and alienated by their lack of English, fight back by finding out their own community and living exclusively within it… But what of multiculturalism? What of diversity? The racial lines that are drawn in schools with large immigrant populations underline the failure of these ideas. School gangs are often based upon ethnic blocs… As a community what can we do to help new immigrants kids? There needs to be greater support for these children, spearheaded by community leaders, and driven by volunteer efforts. After-school programs that supplement the initial school education, and one-on-one career counselling are two things that would greatly help.Recent Research on Newcomer Youth
http://www.teslontario.org/new/research/bettencourt.pdf
Traditionally, research on new immigrants has focused on adult needs...identified lack of research information available on the settlement and integration needs of newly arrived immigrant youth. Summary of findings, with list of recent research studies that relate to the settlement and integration experiences of immigrant youth. Working for Youth; Factors Affecting the Settlement and Adaptation Process of Canadian Adolescent Newcomers 16-19 Years of Age; Colour, Culture and Dual Consciousness: Issues identified by south Asian Immigrant Youth in the Greater Toronto Area; Enhancing Services and Supports for Immigrant Youth in Waterloo Region; The Needs of Newcomer Youth and Emerging Best Practices to Meet Those Needs; English Language and Communication: Issues for African and Caribbean Immigrant Youth in Toronto.Social Inclusion Research in Canada: Children and Youth - What Do We Know and Where Do We Go?
http://www.ccsd.ca/events/inclusion/papers/hanvey.pdf
Examining the concept of social inclusion as it relates to children and youth in Canada is relatively new in Canada – just beginning over the last few years. The Canadian research efforts and publications regarding children and youth and social inclusion are by and large exploratory in nature… What is being written and published at the present time seems to fall into four categories: Analysis of available data to construct measures of inclusion and exclusion; o conceptual discussions of the meaning of social exclusion and inclusion for children and youth; Attempts to examine specific factors which influence the exclusion and inclusion of children and youth (such as income, recreation, education, early childhood care and education) through reviews of existing evidence and analysis of existing data sets; Research regarding specific groups of children (for example, children and youth with disabilities and immigrant and refugee youth). All of these are important if we are to move forward in our understanding of social inclusion so that we can influence Canadian policy in a meaningful way. 2003A New Way of Thinking? Towards a Vision of Social Inclusion
http://www.ccsd.ca/subsites/inclusion/
Ethical Reflections on Social Inclusion; Leave No Child Behind! Social Exclusion and Child Development; Does Work Include Children? The Effects of the Labour Market on Family Income, Time and Stress. - Conference Summary Papers, 2001From Experiences of Exclusion to a Vision of Inclusion: What Needs to Change?
http://www.ccsd.ca/subsites/inclusion/bp/cf2.htm
We need to ‘get real’ in our approach to social inclusion: we need to use language and concepts that are readily understandable, we need to develop examples from people’s real life experiences, and we need to be very concrete in showing ‘what needs to change’ when applying social inclusion to actual policies and practices… Income poverty and material deprivation cut across all of the other dimensions in limiting the social inclusion of children and families. Poverty is widely acknowledged as a source of shame and hardship, and a major obstacle to participating in community life. Social inclusion, therefore, also depends on economic inclusion and economic security. 2001Falling Expectations - Youth and employment: The transition from school to work
http://www.osstf.on.ca/www/issues/ssr/falldoc.html
Probably one of the greatest causes of the lingering depression in Canada and all over the world is technological unemployment. In order to have a "jobless recovery," technology must play a big role. In order to cut costs during a recession, many companies have shed much of their workforce through restructuring… Even though there has been some job creation across Canada in recent months, the unemployment rate has remained high and youth have not enjoyed any of the effects of job growth… The hardest hit youth group during the 1990s by far has been those with only high-school education or less. For (them) there were 997,000 fewer jobs in 1995 than in 1990… Neither the federal government nor the Ontario government have shown any signs that they are considering the possibility that the economy may not be able to create enough jobs for Canadians… There has been a rise in the amount of part-time, temporary and contract work, while full-time work has declined… Improvements can be made in the education system, but it will require government investment - investment in teachers, resources, technology, buildings and student development…Immigrant Youth in Canada: A research report from the Canadian Council on Social Development © 2000
http://www.ccsd.ca/subsites/cd/docs/iy/
Recent immigrant youth viewed North American culture as a double-edged sword. Most said they enjoyed the freedom that the youth culture in Canada afforded them, but many felt somewhat overwhelmed and alienated by what they perceived to be its rampant consumerism and superficiality. Some said this caused them to feel socially isolated, particularly in high school… Recent immigrant youth reported that their key challenges were learning the language and overcoming social isolation. However, they felt their parents experienced more difficulties than they did in adapting, particularly with respect to finding gainful employment. These youth were keenly aware of their parents’ struggles and hardships…While steps have been taken to address issues; most service providers acknowledged that there were still many unmet needs. Many agencies also experienced a decline in their financial and human resources in recent years, making service delivery more challenging.Time and Money
http://www.ccsd.ca/pubs/2006/makingconnections/factsheet2.pd
Canadian-born youth aged 15 to 24 were much more likely to volunteer than immigrant youth: 31% compared to 18%.Removing Barriers: Youth Participation, Ladership and Capacity Building in a Multicultural Community
http://integration-net.cic.gc.ca/inet/infocentre/2004/001.pdf
The report attempts to assess the current multicultural environment, examining the complex issues faced both by immigrant and refugee youth as well as young citizens of ethnic origin. The four central issues highlighted by youth involved were: communication, inclusion, poverty and the cultural disconnect… Recommendations focus around changes in policy, educational curricula, delivery of social services, and the need for awareness building and broader sharing of information. It is time that governments at all levels move beyond Canada‘s traditional multicultural formula of celebrating differences, in favour of a strategy that advocates developing cohesive communities where all members take ownership and responsibility for thriving in a multicultural society.Children's Responses About Poverty
http://www.cpj.ca/pjrc/research/02_poverty.pdf
Poverty Is...
Not being able to go to McDonald’s
Getting a basket from the Santa Fund
Feeling ashamed when my dad can’t get a job
Not buying books at the book fair
Not getting to go to birthday parties
Hearing my mom and dad fight over money
Not ever getting a pet because it costs too much
Wishing you had a nice house
Not being able to go camping
Not getting a hot dog on hot dog day
Not getting pizza on pizza day
Not being able to have your friends sleep over
Pretending that you forgot your lunch
Being afraid to tell your mom that you need gym shoes
Not having breakfast sometimes
Not being able to play hockey
Sometimes really hard because my mom gets scared and she cries
Not being able to go to Cubs or play soccer
Not being able to take swimming lessons
Not being able to afford a holiday
Not having pretty barrettes for your hair
Not having your own private backyard
Being teased for the way you are dressed
Not getting to go on school trips.
School performance of children from immigrant families
http://www.statcan.ca/english/edu/tfeature/dailyNov14.htm
Children from immigrant families in which the mother tongue was neither English nor French had particularly large disadvantages when starting school, but were able to catch up to their classmates by age 10 or 11. Children from immigrant families in which the mother tongue was one of the official languages were in a better position when starting school and were able to catch up to children with Canadian-born parents by age 9… Their performance generally reached, or even exceeded, the performance of children of Canadian-born parents before they completed elementary school. Statistics Canada, The DailyThe Children of Immigrants - How Do They Fare?
http://www.economica.ca/ew22p4.htm
It has been argued that one of the factors relevant in predicting the income of minors is the immigrant status of their parents. In this vein, it has been suggested that those with foreign-born parents will not do as well as those with Canadian-born parents. This assumption is based on the belief that the former have a disadvantage deriving from a lack of familiarity with the culture, labour market institutions, and in many cases with the language. Our research does not support this theory. There is considerable evidence, rather, to suggest that second generation Canadians will surpass their more established counterparts. … We subscribe to the view that factors related to their foreign parentage may benefit the children of immigrants, on the one hand, and hamper them on the other. Since the positive effects tend to overwhelm, or at the very least offset, the negative effects, however, it would be misleading to assume that the children of immigrants are at an earning disadvantage, by virtue of their parentage.Hidden Losses: How Demographics Can Encourage Incorrect Assumptions About ESL High School Students’ Success
http://www.riim.metropolis.net/Virtual%20Library/2006/WP06-11.pdf
Data from ESL students’ records in Vancouver are examined in light of the BC Ministry of Education’s claim that ESL high school students are more successful than students whose first language is English. We argue that the academic achievement of well-to-do students whose parents are skilled workers or entrepreneurs may mask the completion rates of students who entered BC through the family and refugee classes. The latter students, like their counterparts throughout Canada, are disappearing through the cracks in the education system. We maintain that it is time for provincial ministries, school boards, post-secondary institutions and other stakeholders to work together to improve the current situation, which prevents many immigrant youths from achieving their educational aspirations. Abstract.High educational aspirations of visible-minority youth
http://www.oti.globalwatchonline.com/online_pdfs/36579X.pdf
Higher educational goals set by visible minority immigrant youth appear to be related to the educational values promoted within their families, as 79% of visible-minority immigrant youth aspired to obtain at least one university degree, compared to 57% of Canadian-born non-visible minority students.Academic Achievement and Access to Higher Education Among Recent Immigrant and Refugee Youth
http://www.cmec.ca/stats/cesc2006/LanaStermac.en.doc
War-zone immigrant youth in the 18- to 20-year-old cohort and in the 15-year-old cohort were performing well academically in comparison to other immigrant and Canadian-born students. Specifically, data analyses revealed that war-zone immigrant youth (1) perform academically as well as, if not better than, comparison students as indicated by grades and overall levels of academic engagement; (2) complete high school in the same proportion as other students (although remain in high school longer); (3) access postsecondary education in the same proportions as other students; however, perceive more barriers to attaining higher education; and (4) demonstrate high levels of motivation to succeed. In addition to these positive findings, however, war-zone students indicated some difficulties with social engagement and aspects of social support. Preliminary analyses of variables related to self-esteem and self-efficacy suggest that these variables are important in the examination of educational outcomes in this group.CIC Medium Term Strategic Research Framework - 1998
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/research/papers/framework.html
In 1996, 50,000 children under 15 years were landed as permanent residents. Thirty-three thousand of these children had no knowledge of either English or French. 10,500 of those with no knowledge of English or French were destined for Toronto, 2,800 for Montreal and 8,000 to Vancouver.Accreditation blockage - Minority youth
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/english/consultations/race-policy-dialogue-paper-js.shtml
Accreditation blockage imposed on foreign-trained professionals has another deleterious effect on minority youth whose parents were trained abroad: “it sets limits to the likelihood that minority professionals could serve as effective role models for succeeding generations”.Education and Immigrant Youth
http://integration-net.cic.gc.ca/inet/english/vsi-isb/conference2/session/0g.htm
Many school dropouts are ESL students… Language barriers, isolation, self-esteem, difficulty of balancing the two cultures of home and school… Many ESL youth cannot get the credits they need for a high school diploma before turning 19… School systems need staff training and professional development for school personnel and the community at large to deal effectively with the needs of immigrant youth and to create an environment that is both inclusive and accessible.Barriers don’t keep immigrant children from dreaming of success
http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/arts/nav02.cfm?nav02=44974&nav01=18478
About 88 % of visible-minority immigrant parents stated that they hoped their children would acquire a university education while 59 % of Canadian-born non-visible minority parents expressed the same goal for their children. Visible-minority immigrant students also tend to report higher grades and have higher levels of school engagement than Canadian-born students… Educators working with immigrant youth may, at first glance, see young people who may have language difficulties and are trying to find a way to fit into a new culture… While it is important to recognize these barriers they are facing, we need to also recognize their unusually high aspirations and to make sure that they have every opportunity to reach them.Academic Achievement and Ethnicity in Secondary Schools: A Longitudinal Study
http://www.canpopsoc.org/conferences/2000_abstracts.html
Young immigrants as the sources of influence of the academic achievement in schools? Three dependent variables are observed for 5 years: teaching language (English or French), mathematics, second language (English or French) and 7 independent variables: age, sex, mother tongue, place of birth, family status, father's schooling, mother's schooling. From Abstract.Some Factors That Affect the Success of ESL High School Students
http://www.utpjournals.com/product/cmlr/554/554-Derwing.html
At least 10% of the ESL students were pushed out of school by the provincially mandated age cap. Another 36% appeared to have dropped out of school. Thus nearly 46% of high school ESL students did not complete their studies within the K-12 system, compared to a 70% completion rate for all students in Alberta. The implications for high school teachers and administrators include eliminating the age cap; improving integration of ESL students in mainstream content classrooms; and implementing better orientation for the students to ESL classrooms and procedures. From AbstractThe Experience of Chinese Youth Adjusting to Canadian Education
http://www.ssta.sk.ca/research/students/96-04.htm#hif
Personal aspirations, previous school experience in China, initial difficulties in English because of major difference between logographs and the alphabet… It would be overly simplistic to apply the findings of this study uncritically to other minority groups because of the differences in culture, history and social organization. But since the key to greater academic success seems to lie in the early socialization experiences of children, the solution to the problem of serving the educational needs of all children may be related to the following questions: How can we change the attitudes of some minority groups towards education? What needs to be done to generate an optimistic outlook with regard to future employment and to believe in equal opportunities for the graduates of our schools and colleges?
Diverse Youth and the Law: Moral Panic or Critical Policy Problem?
http://canada.metropolis.net/events/metropolis_presents/youth_gang/index_e.htm
In Australia, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and many other countries around the world, much ink has been spilt over youth gangs – this Metropolis Presents panel will tackle this concern head-on.Nurturing Hidden Resilience in Troubled Youth
http://www.myfoundation.ca/library.html
Timely in subject and original in perspective, it challenges what popular media refer to as a 'youth problem.' The author offers an alternative approach to troubled youth and suggests that we build upon, rather than resist, their constructions of resilience as a method of effective intervention…Adjusting to life in Toronto - Perspectives of young Jamaican immigrants
http://www.journalism.ryerson.ca/online/spectrum/city/dlbailey.htm
Unfortunately, not every young person moving to a new country and reuniting with a parent has a happy tale to tell. Many of them become angry and resentful toward their parent for leaving them behind. They find themselves unable to communicate with each other, and relationships grow cold and distant. Pressure to fit in at school sometimes complicates matters even more. English is Jamaica's official language, yet some Jamaican young people are put into English as a Second Language (ESL) classes because they speak patois (a dialect of English widely spoken in Jamaica). Sometimes it is at school that they experience racism for the first time... they feel that they are not valued or understood.Underlying social causes
http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/politics/news/shownews.jsp?content=n010233A
Tensions against blacks heightened following shooting... Black leaders said stemming the illegal trade in firearms may offer part of a solution to the violence but the real battle is with the underlying social causes. Racism, they said, is depriving young blacks of the opportunities other Canadians take for granted and the result is poverty and feelings of hopelessness about the future. MacLeans, January 2, 2006No Crime Time
http://www.nocrimetime.net/edition%207/9.htm
Immigrant youth face many challenges upon arrival in a new country. They often leave difficult situations in their homelands and are separated from relatives and friends. As well, their families often face economic hurdles and cannot afford extracurricular activities such as sports and summer camps. - Innovative programs for youth from the Yukon to Prince Edward Island… “The children may need to participate in extracurricular activities to meet new friends, increase their self-esteem and gain a sense of community belonging and safety".Race relations tensions – Minority youth
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/english/consultations/race-policy-dialogue-paper-js.shtml
Accreditation blockage imposed on foreign-trained professionals has another deleterious effect on minority youth whose parents were trained abroad: “it sets limits to the likelihood that minority professionals could serve as effective role models for succeeding generations”.Youth violence - What can immigrant parents do about it?
http://www.thecanadianimmigrant.com/aug05-feature-stories.shtml?story1
Because newcomers often don't quite fit in and spend time alone as they adjust to their new environment, parents need to be extra aware about what's going on with their teenagers. Keep an eye out for other youth violence tipoffs in your child's behaviour.
Educate children and youth on diversity and anti-racism
http://www.pch.gc.ca/multi/plan_action_plan/tous_all/part_two_5_e.cfm
Canada's younger population is the most racially and culturally diverse age group in the country. More than one-in-six Canadians (16%) ages 15-34, belong to a visible minority group. Of particular interest, the Aboriginal population in Canada is growing rapidly. Half the population is under the age of 24, and less than one-third is under 15 years of age.
Canada believes that a lifelong learning approach in relation to racism can promote acceptance and respect of diversity within a nation's borders and around the world. The voices of youth must be at the forefront in relation to anti-racism action, and incorporated in domestic and world affairs. Canada will work to ensure that the potential of its youngest citizens to participate fully in and contribute to society as adults is maximized, and never undermined by being forced to endure discrimination, intolerance and racism.YOUCAN - Youth Canada Association
http://www.youcan.ca/index.php
Vision: To ensure every youth in Canada learns conflict resolution skills and is inspired to use and share these skills to ultimately make a peaceful difference in the world.Youth Against Racism
http://www.youthagainstracism.ca/who.html
Developed by the Multicultural Association of Nova Scotia in 1996, to educate youth about racism and its impact on society, and to empower and unite youth in the struggle against it.Connecting Classrooms and Communities for Global Awareness
http://www.farmershelpingfarmers.ca (International Family Farm Exchange Association)
This project will enhance Prince Edward Island pre- service and in-service teachers' capacity to support global education projects and opportunities. Students will explore themes such as rural life in developing countries; the impact of poverty; AIDS; gender; land use; the effect of environment and water concerns on children and their communities; education and human rights; and global influences on agriculture. Canadians in a global community, including CIDA's role in development assistance, will be reviewed. This project will also create a team of expert teachers to provide support for global education in PEI schools.Growing Diversity: Settlement and Integration Services for Immigrant Children in a New Century
www.bcsta.org/pub/Reports-Briefs/ESL_Sept2002.pdf
Because of their age on arrival and/or other needs, a growing number immigrant and refugee students run the risk of leaving our schools with inadequate skills to cope with even entry-level work opportunities, and find themselves unable to pursue post-secondary training opportunities because of limited English language ability. The lack of adequate education can lead to an increase in the percentage of unemployed/underemployed youth, who are then further marginalized in society… No other agency, organization or institution is taking responsibility for dealing with children’s settlement issues… ESL ConsortiumCreating Schools & Classrooms for Antiracism and Ethnocultural Equity
http://www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/pdfs/w/racerel/questionsanswers.pdf
This document seeks to assist administrators and other staff by providing information on commonly raised issues, questions and concerns. Our Antiracism and Ethnocultural Equity Policy strengthens our commitment to ensuring a learning and working environment which is inclusive and affirms the faith and the cultural and racial diversity of our schools and communities. Our policy challenges us to find ways to honour and reflect that diversity. As an essential part of our task, we must seek an understanding of the historical and societal factors that have helped shape the focus of education today. We must expand our knowledge of antiracist education. In doing so, it is imperative that we have within our grasp useful information that challenges myths and contributes to correcting misinformation and misconceptions that may, or may not, be widely held. This document also provides strategies for administrators and classroom teachers to assist all of our students to achieve success. York Region District School BoardAntiracism and Ethnocultural Equity in School Boards
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/curricul/antiraci/antire.html
Intended to assist schools and school boards in ensuring that the principles of antiracism and ethnocultural equity are observed everywhere in Ontario's school system. These guidelines will help members of the education community to shape school board antiracism and ethnocultural equity policies and implementation plans... It is important to understand that antiracism and ethnocultural equity are an integral part of all aspects of the school system. These principles must apply to and have the full support of students, teachers, support staff, school board trustees, administrators, and the community.$81 million in federal funding for research on topics ranging from health to immigration to sports
http://www.sshrc.ca/web/whatsnew/press_releases/2006/srg_e.asp
A unique new study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) will help ease the emotional conflict experienced by Muslim-Canadian children living in today’s post 9-11 world… This research will benefit school boards and ministries of education across the country. It will help schools develop programs that raise awareness about the inter-community tensions experienced by these children, and find strategies to protect their emotional health and development.ASAP - A School-based Anti-Violence Prevention Program
http://www.lfcc.on.ca/asap.htm
Bullying - Information for Parents and Teachers
Friendly Lessons on Violence Prevention
Ethnocultural Issues and RacismStay in School: A Community Resource Handbook, 1991
http://www.ssta.sk.ca/research/school_improvement/91-02.htm
There are two approaches to preventing dropouts. The first is to make all education more student-centred so that the basic reasons why students drop out are eliminated. The second is to identify students in middle years and high school who are at risk of dropping out and intervene directly in order to make their school experience more satisfying and thus keep them in school. These two approaches are not incompatible. Both can operate at the same time in the same school.
Characteristics of Successful Programs: High but Achievable Expectations; A Caring and Committed Staff; Non-Threatening and Secure Classroom and School Climate; Employment and Training Programs; Flexible Schedules; Alternate Programs; Recognition and Acceptance of Students' Culture; Reading and Writing Programs; Individualized Instruction; School and Employer Cooperation; Family Involvement; Staff Development Programs; Use of Instructional Technologies; Mentoring and Tutoring, etc.Canada Student Loans Program (CSLP) - Who gets student loans?
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060324/d060324c.htm
Students of families who came to Canada since 1980 had a much higher CSLP take-up rate than others (45% versus 31%). The difference is partly attributable to lower parental income: 58% of these immigrant students had parental income below $40,000, compared with 29% of other students. The Daily, 2006